Healing
by StarWarrior72
Summary: Luke has been captured by a criminal orgaization and is being tortured so that the organization can pass on rebel information. When Vader finds out what they've done to his child they might change their line of work. Maybe to 'Dead'. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

The man leered at Luke again. Luke stared in horror at the needle the man was preparing. That was the thing he had learned that he should fear more than anything in the galaxy. When the needle slipped under his skin his galaxy would be consumed by pain. He wasn't sure what was in the needle, all he knew was that it hurt for a long, long time.

Before his existence had become a vicious cycle of constant pain he had thought that it must have been some kind of acid. Now he didn't care, all he wanted was to be allowed off the torture rack he had been chained to for the past- how long was it now?- he didn't have any idea._ Too long. _He told himself.

The pain hadn't been as bad before they'd brought him here. Then he had been able to crawl weakly into Han's arms and just press close to the warmth of his friend, taking comfort in the simplicity of being together. Now he wasn't even sure that Han was alive.

_Luke? My son? Are you there? I thought you were in pain._ Luke jumped. This gentle voice had been a part of his life since his first few moments of Jedi training. He thought that it must be his father. This was the only reason he could think of that the man sounded like him and cared enough to try to help him.

_Father? Daddy?_ Luke called out for the man he had looked up to all his life, feeling very small and weak._ D__addy? Are you here to make it stop hurting?_ Luke couldn't help being scared by his own words, he had never thought that he would beg for death.

_I am here to end your pain, but not in the way you're thinking. Do you feel strong Luke?_

_No. Just take me away with you then it will all stop all by itself._

_I won't let you die, Little One. Can you be strong for Daddy?_

_I'm not sure. _

_Try._

_I'll do my best._

_Good. Do you see that hammer over there?_ Luke couldn't see his father, but it was as if he had pointed it out.

_Yes. They've hurt me with it again and again. I hurt everywhere. I just want to die. I want to be with you and Mom again._ Luke was disconsolate.

_I'm sure you do, Child. Don't worry, it'll be all right._ Again Luke felt as though his father was right beside him, almost believed that he could fell his hand gently rested on his shoulder. He clung to the thought of having his father so close._ How have they hurt you, Luke? Is anything broken?_

_I think my wrist might be. I'm not sure. _Luke tried to move it and flinched.

_But your legs are fine? You can run?_

_I think so my legs are all right, but I'm too weak to run._

_I will help you. We have to hurry. He is almost finished preparing that needle, you don't want him to inject you again do you?_

Luke mentally shook his head, _No. No, I really don't. What do I need to do?_

_Focus on the hammer. Picture it moving. Imagine that it hits the man's head. Hard. Yes, that's it. Close your eyes. It's moving you're doing very well. _Anakin's gentle compliments helped Luke to find enough strength to draw in the Force.

_Do you really think I can do this?_ He questioned nervously.

_Yes I do. If you are to succeed you have to believe it too._ Anakin told his son vehemently.

_I'm trying to believe. Is it working?_

_Yes, good job Luke. Let it go. Stop using the Force._

Luke stopped and opened his eyes just in time to see the hammer drop on the man's head. He turned away quickly before he could see the man's pain._ Did I kill him, Daddy? I don't want to be a murderer._

_He's not dead, just unconscious. He's bleeding quite a bit; you might not want to look. Do you see the keys he left on the table?_

_Yes._

Luke felt a wave of gentle, tender love wash over him._ Oh, My Son, I'm so proud of you, my brave little boy. Not giving in to the pain at all. I love you Luke. Gather the Force again. Bring the keys over here. I think that I can make a terrestrial form long enough to unlock you. Let go of the keys. _

"Thank you, Luke."

Luke felt someone's hand on his cheek and another hand at one of his manacled wrists. "Dad?" he croaked weakly.

"Yes Luke. Don't worry, you're safe now. Don't try to speak, conserve your energy. This form is not strong enough to hold you properly so you will have to support some of your own weight." Luke opened his eyes, terrified that he would see one of the men from the facility. Instead, he saw a tall man with dark blond hair that hung down around his ears. Their eyes met, just for a second, and Luke saw that they had the exact same eye color.

The man finished freeing his son and carefully helped the boy to sit up. Luke rested in his father's arms sobbing. Anakin let him sit like that for a few seconds, rubbing his back, before hurrying him along, "Luke, we have to get moving, someone is bound to check why_ he_," Anakin gestured to the prone form of the man on the floor, "didn't come out."

Luke tried to stand up, but he fell back into his father's arms. Catching his son gently, Anakin was horrified to discover how light the child was. "They've been starving you, haven't they?" he asked. On second inspection his son was terribly thin.

Luke just nodded.

"I think I can carry you then. Put your arms around my neck." Luke complied and Anakin gently lifted the frail body. Luke rested his head on his father's chest, and Anakin thought he heard the boy let out a tiny sob.

As Anakin started towards the door Luke moaned a little bit, "Are you all right Luke? Am I hurting you?"

"What about Han?" Luke's voice was tiny, weak from the exertion.

"What_ about_ Han?"

"We have to help him too."

"We don't have time Luke. I'm sorry."

"Then we have to make time. I can't leave Han, we promised."

"_We_ promised?"

"Me and Han"

"I see." Anakin looked at his son and sighed quietly._ Oh, Luke, loyalties like this will hurt you._ He found the keys anyway and had his son point him in the right direction.

When they neared the cell Luke started to shake. "What is it Luke?" Anakin pulled his son closer, trying to calm the boy with proximity.

"I-I'm not even sure Han's alive." Luke down, sobbing against his father.

"Oh Luke, it's all right. It'll be OK." They had reached the door and Anakin pulled out the keys and started to turn them in the lock.

When the door clicked open and Luke saw Han on the floor, the child started to sob even harder. Anakin carried his boy over to the older man and gently rested the child next to him.

Han looked up at Anakin with accusation in his eyes "How could you do this to Luke? He would never hurt anyone on purpose, how did he get so many people to hate him like this?" the man moved towards Luke, gently taking his wounded friend in his arms.

Luke moaned and both of the older men turned to look at him immediately.

"I didn't do this to Luke, I just saved him. Didn't you notice that I didn't even close the door after myself? I just want to help him. I'm his father; I would never want to hurt him."

"If you're his father, then you're dead." Han said, drawing his friend to protect his friend from the madman who had entered his cell.

"Mm." Anakin nodded absently, unlocking the manacle from around Han's ankle, "I understand you don't believe in the Force, so you wouldn't understand how I'm here. Why don't you just take advantage of the fact that I _am _here to help you two and get out of here?"

"Fine, but I don't trust you in the least."

"I can't argue with that." Anakin smiled, "Can you stand up?"

"Yeah, they haven't hurt me half as much as they've hurt the kid. I'll carry him." Han stood up and picked up his friend who moaned quietly and reached out to his father. Anakin kissed his son's cheek, to show that he wouldn't leave, and led Han out of the little cell.

When they reached the hanger Anakin took his son from Han and they sprinted to the _Falcon_. Luke gave a little groan when he saw the ship. "We could have at least chosen a ship that can fly."

"If your friend is right about one thing it's that that ship is more than meets the eye." Anakin raced up the ramp. "Han! There are some rebel ships waiting behind the moon, that would be your best bet if you want to get out of the system."

As Han ran into the cockpit to get them going, Anakin lay his son down on the floor and sat next to him, finally taking the time to assess the child's injuries. The boy had been right; his wrist was certainly broken, as were a few of his ribs. The child had no body fat so he couldn't stop shivering.

Stroking his son's bloody, matted hair Anakin promised that he would be right back and stood up. In no time he was back with a blanket which he wrapped around his son. Luke gave another little moan and sank into the warmth of the blanket and his father's gentle touch.

Anakin continued his check up and rubbed his little boy's back one last time. "I'm sorry Luke, but it's time for me to return to where I belong." He bent down and kissed his boy's forehead. "I think you'll pull through just fine." And then he disappeared.

Luke looked up at where his father had been and started to sob, longing for his father or Han or Chewie; anyone who would hold him and comfort him. Leia, yes it would be good to have Leia with him right now. He closed his eyes and imagined that she sat beside him rubbing his shoulders and speaking to him gently. The words didn't matter. Just her tone, just that she was with him.

Or maybe the words did matter. Leia's tone had changed, from the one she always used when he was upset to the one she used when she was scared. "Luke! You're walking into an Imperial trap, you have to tell Han! You have to warn him not to go to the moon!"

At this Luke sat up despite his weakness "What? Leia?" but in his surprise he had dropped the illusion. "Leia, I can't even stand up. I can't warn him." Luke dropped back to the deck in exhaustion, crying softly at his own weakness and feeling more alone than ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Caught in a tractor beam the ship jerked and started to move sideways. On the floor in the common area Luke just looked down at the floor._ How could you do this to us father? How could you do this to me? I thought you came to protect us, how could you deliver us to the Empire?_

_It was a necessary evil, My Son. My Empire won't harm you._

Your _Empire? What are you saying? Father, please, what do you mean?_

_What do you think I mean?_

Luke was about to respond that the only reason he could think of was that his whole life had been a lie, but he felt that their connection had been severed. He could sense that his life really_ had_ been a lie. Vader hadn't killed his father, not really, not physically. Luke curled into a tiny ball and sobbed uncontrollably.

Han came into the room a minute later kicking a chair as he went. "We're going to be boarded, Kid. Let's get you down into one of the compartments, huh?"

Luke just pressed his face to his friend's chest and let out another sob of utter despair. "It won't help, Han. He knows we're here. He can sense me."

"What's wrong, Kid?"

"It's-it's Vader. He knows I'm here. He-oh, Han." and Luke slipped into helpless sobs again.

At a loss for words Han just carried his young friend into the hall and opened one of the compartments. He lay the boy down beside the opening and slipped down himself, gently he pulled Luke in too, cradling the tiny body close. Finally he pulled himself out enough that he could cover them again.

After quieting his friend Han held the boy close as he heard the distinctive clank of stormtrooper boots. The child was shivering and still crying quietly. As the troopers left, Han relaxed a bit, but Luke stayed as tense as ever.

Again Han heard the tramp of boots overhead. He tensed again, sure that they were be about to be discovered. He was right.

"You thought you could hide from your own father, Boy?" Vader was holding the panel of the compartment with the Force and glaring down at the two young men.

Luke let out a terrified wail and tried to hide against Han.

"What are you talking about Vader? You're the second person to come along today claiming to be Luke's dad. He's an orphan, would you just quit rubbing it in?" Han held his friend close.

Two stormtroopers came over and reached down into the hidden compartment and grabbed Luke roughly. He clung to his friend sobbing, terrified of leaving the bubble of his friend's protective aura. The two strong men easily overpowered the starved, broken child, though, and Luke was pulled out of the hiding place.

They reached down to get Han too. Luke lay on the deck wracked by silent sobs. When Han was out of the compartment too he moved to Luke's side. The child was sobbing and staring up at Vader.

This was no great surprise, Vader reaching down and gathering the boy in his arms most certainly was. Han watched in horrified shock as Vader cradled Luke and gently brushed the hair out of his eyes. What was even more terrifying was that Luke stopped crying at Vader's touch.

Vader turned to his troopers, "Take Captain Solo to a cell, someone will be with him shortly."

"Wait! What about the kid?" Han was terrified that no mention of Luke had been made.

"I will take good care of him. You should be more concerned for yourself." Vader turned, still carrying Luke, and stalked off to his private quarters.

Looking down at the tiny bundle in his arms Vader couldn't help but be amazed that the boy hadn't just snapped at the rough treatment from the troopers. As he remembered from the time his Force clone had spent with the boy the child was clearly malnourished, and taking another close look at the boy Vader decided that his ankle was probably broken, of at least twisted and sprained.

While the boy had taken being picked up quite well, he was a lot more vocal about being taken away from his friend. "You can't let them hurt Han! Please, he never even meant to be a part of the Alliance, he did it to save me!"

"Luke, the fact remains that he may have information about the Alliance, and you very well know that you are not the only rebel he would give his life for. The only way to get the information is to have him interrogated. Unless you would rather it was you on the torture rack."

"I would! Take me back."

_I forgot that you have such strong loyalties. Oh, My Son._ "I've already told you, I won't let them hurt you. If you don't want your friend hurt you could just volunteer the information we need."

"I-I can't do that. You know I can't! I just want to protect my friends, please don't let them hurt him."

"I can't do that, not even for you. I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry. If you were sorry you would at least try." Luke started to cry and Vader was glad to discover that, despite his anger, the boy was still willing to press closer to him when he was upset.

When they reached Vader's quarters he took Luke inside and rested the boy on the bed he had bought for the boy. "Stay here Luke. I will get a medic for you."

Luke reached out grabbed his father's hand. "Don't go away." He moaned, sounding much younger than he was. _How old is he anyway? About seventeen, I suppose. Force, he's still a child._ Vader sat next to his son and gently pulled a blanket up to his son's chin. Luke grasped the blanket in his little hand and mumbled something Vader couldn't make out.

Under his mask Vader smiled, "Looking for this?" He held up a scrap of cloth.

Luke stared at his father in amazement, "How did you know?" He reached out and took it.

"While you were being held by those monsters the rebel base was discovered and captured. I found this in your room and, judging from the state it's in, I thought that it must be important to you."

Luke smiled, "It is." It was strange to hear Vader call anyone a monster. Luke curled up under the blankets and continued to grip his father`s hand.

"If you would let go of my hand I could go get you some food and water. Don't tell me you're not hungry, because I won't believe you." Luke released his father's hand and nodded quietly.

Luke watched his father leave the room yawned. _Maybe this won't be so bad. He sure doesn't seem to want to hurt me and he gave me a bed to sleep in and he is getting me some food. Maybe I can eventually convince him to let Han out of his cell._


	3. Chapter 3

In a few minutes his father was back with a glass of water and some fruit puree. He carefully propped his son up against the back of the bed and started to spoon the puree into the child's mouth. As he fed the boy he spoke to him, "I summoned a medic for you he will be here any moment. Don't be afraid to eat what I give you, I know how to treat someone who has been starved."

Luke nodded and pressed against his father's chest as he was fed.

"Do you feel all right Luke? You're awfully quiet."

"I don't feel like I'm getting enough air. It's scary, Father, I don't like it." Luke felt odd admitting the weakness to Vader, even though they were related. _Admitting you have a problem is the first step in solving that problem,_ he reminded himself.

Vader stroked his son's back and said, gently, "The medic will be here momentarily, if you need more oxygen he will see to it. The oxygen content in these chambers can be adjusted to suit my needs. We could set it to what you need."

"Thank you." Luke smiled weakly at his father and fell quiet, taking some water from the cup his father was holding out to him. He rested against his father's chest and turned away from the food his father offered him.

He was still lying against his father's chest when the medic arrived, a couple of minutes later. "Hello, Lord Vader, is this the boy you need treated?" he indicated Luke.

Luke was surprised that his father didn't distance himself from him. Vader stayed with him cradling his little boy close. "Yes. He has been starved and beaten. I think that his wrist and several ribs are broken, and that he has twisted or sprained his ankle."

The medic carefully took Luke out of his father's arms and gently checked over him. "You're right, he needs a couple of casts and very careful treatment. You know how to treat him for the starvation. Make sure that he gets enough sleep and water." he turned to Luke and held out a lung capacity tester, "Sit up and breath into this as hard as you can."

The boy did as he was told and the medic took it back. "Only one hundred, that's terrible. You will need extra oxygen. Lord Vader, he needs approximately the same amount of oxygen as you do. As he heals you can keep the oxygen at the same level as long as he goes outside for about an hour every day, the more the better. That way he will be ready for normal oxygen levels when he needs to go outside for other things."

Vader nodded and the medic held out a quick-dry cast, "Hold still please Luke."

Luke held out his ankle and waited quietly as it was carefully wrapped and the cloth dried. Then he did the same for his wrist. In the mean-time Vader left the room and found the atmospheric controls for the rooms. He turned up the oxygen content to what was practically the highest setting.

When he got back to his son the boy was enumerating on the various tortures the rouge imperials had used. Vader did everything he could to block out the sounds but some of it still got through his shields nonetheless.

"They kept the room below zero most of the time and they whipped me. They would put ice cold metal to my skin so that it stuck, then they'd heat up the metal so it burned." The boy held out his arm so the medic could see some of the places he had endured such torture.

Vader sat back down beside his son and the boy rested against his father. "As you heard your son will need treatment for his burns, you can take care of that. The child needs some sleep now or I would do it myself. He may want some bacta for his back, assuming that's where he's been whipped."

Luke nodded and pressed close to his father, closing his eyes.

"Thank you. I will have your pay sent to you," Vader dismissed the medic.

When the man was gone Vader stood up picking up his son and cradling him close. He pulled the blankets back and gently laid his son on the bed. The little boy's body seemed almost to be swallowed up by the soft mattress.

"Father?"

"Yes, Luke?"

"Who was that? You seemed to know him pretty well."

"He has been my medic since I was wounded in a duel with Obi-Wan."

"What happened to you?"

"You don't want to know, Luke."

"I do! You matter to me and he does too, I want to know what happened between you. I want to know why I didn't grow up with you."

Vader tucked his son in and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Just before you were born I started to have dreams about your mother dying in childbirth. I was afraid that the dreams would become reality if I didn't do something to stop them. At the time I was a Jedi for the Old Republic, _governed_ by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. He had become chancellor shortly after I had joined the Jedi and we had become friends, when I told him of my dreams he told me that the only way I could save Padmé was to learn the ways of the Sith."

"Who's Padmé?" Luke interrupted hesitantly.

"Your mother, she was a politician at the time. At first I balked at the idea of learning something that was that different from what I had dedicated my life to, but I became desperate enough when I realized that that was the only way open to me. I knew that I couldn't live without your mother. I had hoped that all I would have to do was tell Palpatine, who I had learned was Darth Sidious, that I was willing to learn the ways of the Sith and he would tell me how to save your mother. He wanted something in return, though; he wanted me to destroy the Jedi. I did as I was told. All I could think of was the thought of losing your mother.

"I am not proud of what I did that day. I killed hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Jedi. Most of them knew me, or could at least recognize me. I was quite famous at the time. I didn't differentiate between children and adults. If I felt sorry for them for even a moment I just told myself that I was doing it to save Padmé and continued the massacre.

"When I was satisfied that all the Jedi at the temple were dead my master sent me to kill the separatist leaders on Mustafar. When I had finished I found Obi-Wan on the platform, I had been told to slay the Jedi, but I couldn't just kill him, Obi-Wan had been my best friend for years, he was like my brother and my father combined. So I gave him a choice, he could join me or die. He chose to go down fighting. We dueled and our duel carried us through the mining facility and out onto the lava that makes up the majority of the surface of the planet. We rode mining platforms and continued to fight as we drifted toward a huge waterfall of lava Obi-Wan jumped to the bank of the river. He told me to give up, that he had the high ground. I tried to jump over him and he severed my legs and my left arm. He left me on the bank of the river of lava to die. He took my lightsaber and left me.

"When I woke up in hospital later Padmé was dead and I could never heal from my burns. Obi-Wan had gone into hiding and I had destroyed everything I had held dear. My master told me you were dead. I gave up being Anakin at all and became Vader with all my being."

Vader came out of his reverie and looked down at his son who was crying quietly and looking at his father in horror. "Oh, Luke, I told you that you didn't want to know. I'm sorry." Vader gathered his son in his arms and held him until the sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have listened."

"It's not your fault, Luke. I promise."

Luke hiccupped and looked up at his father, "Did the medic say you could take of your mask now?" His eyes glowed at the prospect of seeing his father's face in reality, not just on the Force clone.

"You don't want to see me Luke, as I told you the wounds from my battle with Obi-Wan won't heal. I'm hideous. It's enough to give you nightmares." Vader tried to make light of these facts.

"Please?" Luke pleaded.

"You're going to be stubborn about this aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Do you promise that you'll go to sleep without complaint afterwards?"

Luke smiled, "See previous."

"Fine, no point in both of us wasting time on a debate you refuse to lose. I'll be back soon." Vader stood up and left Luke to wonder just how terrible his father could possibly look.

He got his answer soon enough. Vader returned to his son's room a few moments later wearing a dark brown tunic and no mask. He was bald and a huge scar bisected his head, he was so pale that the only thing that made him look alive where his blue eyes. Luke looked at his father's prosthetic hands and was surprised to see that they were an older variety with no prosthetic skin to disguise them.

Vader smiled at his son and moved to take his place next to his son, glad that the boy didn't recoil. "You can't say that I didn't warn you."

"You're right. I can't." Luke smiled and reached for one of his father's hands, "Why the old make?"

"I like to tinker, by the time the newer technologies are out I've already modified whatever item so much that the upgrade wouldn't be as good." Luke noticed that now his father's speech was less formal. Vader smiled and, as though he had read his son's mind, said "If I try to speak informally through the vocabulator in my life support suit it sounds stupid."

"Oh, will you stay with me until I'm asleep?"

Vader smiled again and reached out to touch his son's cheek, "Of course. I love you. Goodnight."

Luke pressed close to his father and fell asleep almost instantly. Vader sat with him a few more minutes then stood up and went to bed himself.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning when Luke woke up he instantly regretted not asking his father where he could find some food. He chose to sit still and see if he could contact him through the Force. He was surprised to contact him on the first try.

_Yes, Luke?_

_Dad? Where are you?_

_I'm downstairs._

_How do I get downstairs?_

_Wait for me Luke, don't even think of trying to get up._

Luke lay back down and waited for his father. As he waited his eyes closed again without him even realizing, and by the time his father arrived at the door Luke was fast asleep again. Vader looked in to find the child asleep and smiled at the boy's sleeping form, _Poor kid, to tired even to stay awake until I got up here._

He walked in and gathered his son in his arms. He carried his sleeping child down the stairs to the cooking area, careful not to wake him. He rested Luke on a couch and laughed quietly as the child's breathing repeatedly stirred his over-long bangs.

Deciding that the kindest way to wake the starved and sleep deprived child was to start cooking something for the boy's breakfast, Vader started to make some soup for his son. He had never been much of a cook, but he had learned to make soup and a couple of other dishes as a bit of a survival deal because Padme had been even worse than he was.

Thinking of his beloved wife he smiled slightly. In the couch, Luke stirred slightly and managed to pull himself into a sitting position. Vader turned to his son and grabbed him in the Force. Luke went limp and Vader carefully pulled him into a sitting position.

"What part of don't move did you not understand?" Vader asked, turning off the stove and pouring some soup into a bowl for his son.

"I don't think those were your exact words," Luke said indignantly.

Vader smiled and started to spoon soup into Luke's mouth. Luke spluttered the first couple of times, but they learned to make a rhythm that worked for both of them and feeding became a lot easier.

After eating Luke became a bit listless again and Vader sat with him and held him. Luke was exhausted, Vader told himself, and it was good that he didn't want to be up and about all the time. As the child lay in his arms Vader found himself carefully rocking him.

After a time Luke fell back to sleep. Vader stopped rocking him and carefully carried him back up the stairs to his room.

_Dad?_

_Luke?_

_Can I come back downstairs?_

_Wait for me to come get you._

_I can walk!_

_No you can't._

_Fine. Be that way._

_I will be. Thank you very much._ Vader stood from his desk and walked up to his son's room. Luke was sitting on his bed with his arms crossed. Vader sighed at his son's game of 'loopholes' and gathered him in his arms.

Despite his abundant protests, Luke was glad that his father was willing to hold him and carry him. Moving was sort of painful and he was tired. Not that he was going to let his father know that.

"I don't have much for you to do, I'm afraid." Vader said, looking around for something, anything, to entertain his son.

"I don't mind."

"And I can't have you disturbing me."

"All right."

Vader put his son on a sofa and went back to his office.

As he worked he could hear his son doing something. Sometimes there would be a silence and Vader would wonder if Luke had hurt himself too much to call out. In short, having Luke nearby was very distracting. Finally he gave up and returned to his son.

"Fine, I give up. I can't work with you out here. What were you doing?"

"I was just trying to levitate things. I was practicing on that." He was pointing at a chair.

_That explains the noise._ "Well at least we can have some more time together, are you hungry?"

"Yes!" Luke sat up against the sofa.

Vader laughed and got his son more food. He pulled out the soup and reheated it. Luke muttered something about variety that Vader decided not to hear. Vader was surprised to feel like Anakin again as he fed the boy and carefully carried him up to his room.


	5. Chapter 5

Luke bounded down the stairs with the buoyancy and extra energy he had begun to get as he healed and the extra oxygen started to have an effect. Vader smiled up at him. It had been a wonderful feeling, watching Luke heal. Soon in would be time to start his training and Vader was surprised that he wasn't looking forward to it.

He hated the thought of trying to pull anger and hatred up in his innocent, happy son. He didn't want to see the boy's sweet, eager smile vanish into fury as the he learned to be a Sith.

Vader had been teaching his son, however. Not to use the Dark, but to use the Light. He had started with levitation after he finally lost patience completely with Luke's variety of failed attempts. Luke had been so eager to learn that they had quickly progressed to other techniques.

Before Vader had realized what he was doing he had accidentally taught his son the whole first years' worth of Jedi lessons. He had tried to stop, telling himself that it would be harder to teach his son Sith techniques when he already knew the Jedi way, but Luke had pestered him about the sudden stop until their lessons had resumed.

"Hello, Dad. What are we learning today?"

"I don't know yet, I'm running out of lessons for you." Vader smiled at his son who was now rummaging through the fridge for something to eat.

Luke came out with a fruit in one hand and hopped up onto the counter. "What do we have left?"

"I'm not sure. Luke, I have to talk to you about something I don't think you're going to like. My master has told me that it's time to teach you to be a Sith."

The smile vanished from Luke's face and he visibly drooped, "Dad, you know what I think of being a Sith."

"I do and I'm sorry, but at this point you are only safe here if you are training to be a Sith." Vader felt his heart squeeze up at the thought of forcing his son to do something.

"I guess. Do you think Palpatine would let me stay with you if I wasn't training as a Sith or a Jedi? Maybe we could just stay together as family?"

"Luke, I'm afraid that your birthright is at least as much a curse as a gift. If you had been born like your mother, without Force sensitivity, I think he might have allowed it, but it is not his way to have an unexploited resource in his reach. We have two choices, I could send you away, back to the Alliance, and tell my master that you'd run, or you can train as a Sith. I don't like either choice, but I believe that you would be safest if you return to your Alliance."

"But then- you wouldn't-we couldn't… I'd never get to be with you again!" Luke jumped of the counter and ran into his father's arms, tears on his cheeks.

"We wouldn't be able to see each other in a non-hostile way again, I know, but we could still speak to one another through the Force. Now that we know each other we can never be truly separated. If you remain here we will be forced to fight one another, we won't be allowed to be family anymore. In the end the Emperor will have us fight to the death so that he can take the stronger as his sole apprentice."

"That's so unfair! Why do we have to suffer because we were born different? I just want to stay with you!"

Vader held his son close and stroked his hair, "I can free your friend from prison and he can take you back to the Alliance. You would be fairly safe there and on the outside chance that you do beat the Emperor we would be reunited."

"But I would be expected to hate you! I couldn't tell anyone about who you really are! I want things to stay the same."

"But you can't stop the change, Luke, any more than you can stop the suns from setting." Vader spoke the words his mother had spoken to him all those years ago.

"But that doesn't stop me from wanting to." Luke said sadly.

"I know it doesn't."

"Can we spend one more day together, like this never happened?"

"I think so. What do you want to learn today?"

"What do you want to teach me?"

"I'd like to teach you a theory of meditation that allows you to meet people in the Force. We could still communicate that way."

"That's a good idea."

"Finish your breakfast and we'll start the lesson."

Luke picked up the fruit he had dropped on the counter and started eating again.


	6. Chapter 6

"He's here, Luke. It's time to go." Vader stood at the doorway of his son's room.

"I'm coming." Luke sat on the edge of his bed, looking around his room morosely, trying to find anything he had forgotten.

"There is no reason to procrastinate. It is not a bus that you can miss. It is your friend who will wait for you."

Luke sighed and his shoulders drooped, "I know. I'm just disappointed. I feel like I just found you and now I have to say goodbye again."

Vader moved to his son's side and put an arm around him, "It's not goodbye forever, Luke. We will see each other again."

Luke snorted, "Yeah. In battle when we're expected to be doing our best to kill each other."

"We have already agreed that this is the safest route for us. Let's not make Han wait." Vader used the Force to pick up his son's backpack.

Luke got to his feet and followed his father.

When they were almost to the hanger where Han waited impatiently, Vader stopped and put Luke's backpack down. He turned around and took his son into a hug.

"Goodbye, Luke, I'll see you later." Vader passed his son a credit chip, "This will take care of you. It's got a hundred thousand credits on it. Be careful not to lose it. If you ever need protection for a certain amount of time you're always welcome here. If I'm not home, you can use the Force to get the doors open."

Luke gave his father a weak smile, "Right, later." He picked up his backpack and went to meet Han.

"What's this all about, Kid? One minute I'm in prison and the next I'm at Lord Vader's palace with orders to get you as far away as possible."

"I'll explain later, OK?"

"Sure, Kid, whatever you say. I'm just glad to be outa there and back with you and Chewie and the _Falcon_."

Luke dropped any impression of being happy to be back with the Alliance the moment he was sure his father wouldn't see. Han gaped at the change in his friend's manner.

"Kid? Are you all right?"

"Physically I'm fine." Luke traipsed farther into the ship. He sat miserably at the game table and tried to get one last glimpse of his father through the viewport. He had only lived with his father for a few months, but already it felt more like home than anywhere else in the galaxy.

Luke was knocked into the table as Han's somewhat unpredictable ship lurched into hyperspace. As he sat back he reflected that there were a few things that his father had been unable to emulate. This ship was one of them.

He felt his father touch his mind with the Force and smiled slightly. His father had been right. As long as they had the Force they would never be truly separated. He returned his father's gentle brush.

The ship lurched again, sending Luke back into the table. He pulled away, rubbing his bruising stomach.

"We've landed!" Han announced, swaggering into the room.

"Landed? I thought we were coming out of hyperspace."

"We never entered hyperspace."

Luke moaned, "Do me a huge favour and don't tell me what that bump earlier was."

"It was a small asteroid, nothing to worry about."

"I asked you not to tell me. Where are we?"

"A small planet just outside the Vjun system. I figured Vader might have got a tracer on the _Falcon_ so we shouldn't go back to the Alliance right away."

Luke nodded duly, Vader might care about him but he wouldn't put it past his father to send him back to the Alliance with a tracker.

"What are we going to do then?"

"We are not going back to the Alliance, Kid. We'll work out another way to get by."

"What? What do you mean we're not going back to the Alliance?"

"We'd be safer if we didn't. So we won't."

"You can't just make decisions for me like this!"

"That's where you're wrong, junior. This is my ship and I make the rules. We are not going back to the Alliance."

Luke glared at Han, but he was well aware that arguing about it would be a waste of breath for both of them. After a few moments of glaring, Luke stood and followed his friend down the landing ramp. He blinked at the huge contrast between his father's home word and this planet in a nearby system.

"Where are we?"

"This place doesn't have a name. It's uninhabited. There's no reason to visit here so why would it need a name?"

"That's where I'm going to have to disagree, Han. This place is beautiful." Luke reached up with one hand and laid it on a thick tree trunk. "This has got to be a couple hundred metres tall."

Han laughed and playfully muttered, "Farm boy."

"At least I care. Unlike you," Luke ducked a playful swat from Han.

Han was glad to have his friend back. On the trip he had thought that Vader had done something that had changed Luke. The kid had seemed so desolate. If Luke could tease him like that then Han knew he was Ok.

"So, what're we gonna eat while we're here?" Luke looked at Han curiously.

"We have a data pad with all the known plants in the galaxy. I think we can manage."

"Right. Do you plan to stay here?"

"Until I have a plan, yes."

"Oh. Would you like to explore a bit?"

"Sure," Han followed his friend into the jungle.


	7. Chapter 7

After a few days of exploring the jungle, Luke was beginning to feel that each foot of jungle was pretty much like the next one.

"Have you got a plan yet, Han?"

"I'm working on it, Kid. I just haven't decided yet."

Luke lay back in the grass under the ship. He reached out through the Force to his father._ Dad?_

_Luke, it's nice to hear from you. I was beginning to wonder if you couldn't reach me._

_I can. Sorry, I've just been spending some time exploring and I didn't really tell Han that I can do this._

_I think he deserves the truth. How are your friends?_

_How would I know? Han's convinced that you have a tracker on the _Falcon_. He won't rejoin the Alliance, just in case._ Luke's voice was distinctly annoyed.

_Where are you then?_

_The unnamed planet outside your system._

_That doesn't really narrow it down very much._

_Sorry, that's all I know._

Vader sighed quietly. He knew that going to Luke would be dangerous for both of them, but he didn't like the idea of Luke being unprotected on a strange world, either. He couldn't convince Han to be a better protector for his son, to take the boy far away. It had always been his belief that a strong offence was the best defence. Eliminate the problem and it is no longer a threat and all that.

It was time to take the problem out at the root. His Master.

"Lord Vader. What was so urgent that you required a meeting with me immediately?"

"A duty that I'm already seventeen years late in performing," Vader drew his lightsaber and advanced towards his master.

"Ahh, Lord Vader. I was beginning to think this wasn't coming. I will admit that I was growing tired of waiting." The Emperor activated his own saber and met his apprentice half way.

"You'll never have to wait for anything again, I promise." Their sabers crossed red on red.

"It is customary to betray your master with a sneak attack, but I should have known you'd be more straightforward."

"I hate politics."

"Yes, you do. Murder is so much simpler."

"I believe that this is qualified execution." Vader swung at his master's head.

The Emperor blocked and they became a swirl of motion.

At last, Anakin stood over his master's body. "That's for what you did to my family." He threw his saber to the ground in front of the remains and marched out of the room.

As Anakin flew away, he thought happily of seeing his son again and making the galaxy right. Everything he had done he'd done, he'd done for Padme. Now he finally knew what she would have wanted. Now he could do what he owed the galaxy. Now his son could come home and be safe.

It would be a long time until the galaxy was mended, but as long as Luke was with him, he could bear it.


End file.
